Radio Free Angola - First Broadcast 2nd October 1975 11pm GMT

Victory in the North, Victory in the South! Our magnificent fighting men and freedom-loving Zairean brothers have liberated Cabinda! The Soviet Oppressors have been crushed. In the south of our great country a rapid deployment force swept through Mocamedes and then drove on to annihalate the enemy and secure our southern border with our allies. Onward to Freedom and Democracy!

London Times – Wednesday October 1st 1975

Thatcher impact in Africa

The Rt Hon member for Finchley, Margaret Thatcher (49), appears to be having some success in her campaign to reduce the interventionist supplies from the Eastern Bloc to FAPLA and MPLA forces in Angola.

Your correspondent in Luanda, Dominic Brian Trilby (34), has heard that both the Bulgarians and Chinese diverted freighters away from the country in September.  This has been supported by Mr Trilby observing that while the Bulgarian and Chinese representatives at last night's ambassadorial gathering in Luanda greeted each other warmly, ice formed on their host's upper lips.

It is rumoured that the words "fine words butter no parsnips" were spoken in Portuguese, although the literal translation into Bulgarian may have presented some difficulties.

The presence of a plentiful supply of Angolan telegram forms in the bags of those concerned would certainly have been deemed a sensible precaution against unnecessary pain.